Still, regardless of what Cole wanted or even what she wanted, she had a job to do, a responsibility to her crew, and Amelia took her responsibilities seriously.
“You’re right. It is time I let the past go.” She intentionally said the words loud enough for the others to hear.
Cole’s eyes widened, then narrowed.
She arched a brow in challenge at him, a slow smile curving her lips. Somehow his distrust made swallowing her pride, facing her fears where he was concerned, a little easier. She’d do what was right for her crew, what they needed to see from her for the overall good.
As her father would say, sometimes a man—or woman—had to prove their worth by taking one for the team.
For the next few months, Amelia would take one for the team and pray she didn’t live to regret her decision.
A bad feeling crawled up Cole’s neck. One of those that warned something wasn’t right.
Amelia walked toward him. Of her own free will. No gun to head necessary.
“How did Corporal Wright’s abscess look? Healing well?”
Had she really just spoken to him of her own accord? Smiled at him with her mega-wattage smile?
Something was definitely off-kilter.
Besides his equilibrium.
But who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? Amelia was talking to him, smiling at him. The feeling was too good for him to do anything other than bask in her attention for however long the aberration lasted.
“The wound is draining more than the area should be with as much time as has passed.” Had his voice croaked? “I want another culture to see if he’s developed a secondary infection.”
Her smile didn’t miss a beat, perhaps even kicked up another few watts. “Any new symptoms?”
A stun gun blasted him, scrambling his thoughts. He forced himself to focus on his patient, on science, on anything but how Amelia’s smile rerouted his circuitry.
“Increased redness and drainage. Nothing else.”
“Good.” She stared expectantly at him.
Cole had a flashback to a stolen moment between patients in the busy E.R. where they’d both been pulling residency hours. She’d looked tired, he’d cornered her, teased her, and she’d looked up at him with expectancy. And longing.
How had he missed that look at the time? How had he not realized what had been happening between them? Because he’d definitely felt longing in return. Only he’d stuck a big fat brotherly label on everything to do with Amelia so he hadn’t had to feel guilty at how his feelings for her had been growing.
“I haven’t re-dressed the wound yet.” Why did his tongue feel like a lead weight? “Do you want to look prior to seeing your next patient?”
“Thanks. I’d love to.” With another smile, she nodded, as if she’d been waiting for the invitation. Just as she’d done when he’d been with a patient and she’d wanted to observe, only this time his head spun.
Maybe while she was in such an agreeable mood he should suggest a private talk in the office. One where he pushed her up against the wall and kissed her until they both had to come up for air.
Not that he could or would on board ship. Neither was he such a fool that he didn’t realize she was up to something. She was. The question was what? And why? Because despite her butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth smile he had no illusions that he had a long way to go to win Amelia’s forgiveness.
“Hey, Dr Stockton,” the corpsman greeted her when Amelia stepped into the bay. The young man’s eyes ate her up.
Quelling his dislike of another man checking her out, Cole admitted he didn’t blame the guy. With her swept-back dark hair exposing the graceful lines of her neck, the luminous quality to her big brown eyes, the fullness of her naturally pink lips, Cole’s eyes did some gobbling of their own when Amelia leaned in to examine Corporal Wright’s thigh.
“Hmm,” she mused, reaching for a pair of disposable gloves. “When I checked you last, the abscess looked better. When did the area start getting worse again?”
“Just last night, Doc. That’s why I came back this morning rather than waiting until my follow-up appointment tomorrow.” He flashed a flirty smile. “I remembered what you said about coming back sooner if there were any negative changes.”
“Good job.” Amelia smiled at the man, a real smile, inadvertently jump-starting Cole’s heart as surely as if she’d hooked him up to a defibrillator and cranked the juice.
She used to smile at me like that. Only better.